Hayley Williams confirms Jimmy Fallon inspired Paramore’s music: “It was so good!”

nme.com:

Hayley Williams has revealed US talk show host Jimmy Fallon was an unlikely inspiration behind Paramore‘s music.It comes as Paramore released their remix album ‘Re: This Is Why’ today (October 6), which honours artists who have either influenced the members or who the band have gone on to inspire.

In a new appearance on The Tonight Show discussing the album, host Jimmy Fallon asked the frontwoman about her early influences.Alongside Deftones, Failure, and The Cure, she unveiled one more surprising influence: Jimmy Fallon himself.Williams, who met future Paramore members Zac and Josh Farro – the latter of which has since left the band – at a homeschooling supplemental programme in Tennessee, said Fallon’s 2003 comedy song ‘Idiot Boyfriend’ “took over our homeschool”.“[It was a] huge hit with the Paramore crew!” she joked.Fallon then asked Williams if he was the influence for Paramore, and she confirmed: “Yes!

100 per cent!”Williams explained that she discovered Fallon’s deep cut on MTV, which would play every morning that the Paramore band members would meet up: “Your song played more than John Mayer at the same time”, she said.The rock musician went on to praise the ‘Idiot Boyfriend’ music video as “iconic”, which features a fresh-faced Zooey Deschanel.

She also complimented Fallon’s vocal talents: “It was so good. Your falsetto?”Fallon, a former SNL cast member, did not seem to share the same adoration for his own material: “I had a disco comedy song when disco was at its peak… 2003,” he said.Previously, ‘Re: This Is Why’ was revealed to have collaborators such as Foals, Wet Leg, and Julien Baker on its tracklist.